Sanchez better hope he can get it working in the opener against Buffalo on Sunday. Especially with the Tebowmaniacs at MetLife Stadium ready to flex their vocal chords for the Jets’ high-profile backup.

But coach Rex Ryan said Thursday he’ll have his starting quarterback on a long leash — no matter how much noise is made for Tim Tebow.

“I don’t care what I hear,” Ryan told the New York Daily News. “So it doesn’t matter. They can yell, they can do all they want. Mark is our quarterback and that’s just the way it is. Am I excited to have Tim here? Of course. Because I know we brought in an outstanding football player. I knew that from day one and that’s the way it is.”

Jets fans haven’t always been kind to Sanchez. The quarterback, who unquestionably regressed in his third year, was booed with vigor before and during New York’s Week 12 win last season. Former Jets safety Jim Leonhard heard the pre-game jeers and later told WFAN he was “disappointed” and “frustrated” by them.

Sanchez didn’t get that kind of treatment on the road. It was at MetLife Stadium, against the Buffalo Bills.

Sound familiar?

“I hope the fans are always supportive of us. I understand if things aren’t going well that they have every right to voice their displeasure,” Ryan told the Daily News. “But there is only one guy that ultimately would make a change at quarterback.”

Translation: I’m the boss, I’ll make the call. But as we know, things can change in a New York minute.

Stay tuned.

Are you convinced the crowd will turn on Sanchez at some point this season? Be heard in the comments below…